The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman Vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae

Karani Marcia Leslie's 1994 play explores distorted images of African-American women in the popular media. Her arguments, illustrated by vintage film clips, are presented as part of a fanciful construct: a young executive brings a lawsuit against the stereotypes that she alleges have impeded her professional progress. Leslie's satirical portrait of Hollywood greedheads is as timely now as it was a dozen years ago. And the cast's performances are no more exaggerated than the didactic text requires: the testimony of every character--even a smug slave owner--gradually builds Leslie's case for education and enlightenment. --Mary Shen Barnidge a Through 11/4: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 and 7 PM, ETA Creative Arts Foundation, ETA Square, 7558 S. South Chicago, 773-752-3955, $30.